


Truthfully Lying

by WitchWithWifi



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Boarding School AU, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, It's all fluff, i think, in which i attempt to write comedy, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-04-25 21:49:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4977787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchWithWifi/pseuds/WitchWithWifi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Felicity gets in to Starling City Boarding School for her sophomore year, all she wants to do is keep her head down, graduate, and head to MIT. Unfortunately, someone else has other plans for her. And that someone is Oliver Queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Phone Calls and Scholarships

When the phone rang on a hot Thursday afternoon in her tiny house in Las Vegas, Felicity didn’t think anything of it. Answering what was bound to be a sales call wasn’t worth pulling herself out of her book, an enticing tale about dragons and fairy kings and mermaids with jellyfish powers.

However, the phone, or rather, the person on the other end of the line, had other ideas. It simply kept on ringing. And ringing. And ringing. Finally, after the fifth call, Felicity swung her legs to the ground and hopped up off the couch, immediately missing the warmth from the hazy sunlight streaming in through the windows.

“Hello?” She answered irritably, leaning against the only counter in their closet-sized kitchen as she held the phone to her ear with her shoulder, rooting through the “stuff” drawer for a bookmark. She pulled out a feather that had been dyed an otherworldly blue. That would work.

“Hello, I’m Marcy Williams from Starling City Boarding School. Is there a Ms. Felicity Smoak there?”

Instantly, Felicity’s irritation vanished, replaced by a thrill of shock. She dropped her book and slammed the drawer shut, turning all of her attention to the conversation. “Speaking,” she managed, biting her lips. She’d applied to SCBS for her freshman year, but she’d been waitlisted due to her financial situation. This year, she’d applied again, knowing it was likely in vain, but she was determined. SCBS was one of the best schools in the country and she’d be damned if she didn’t get a chance to prove herself.

“Ms. Smoak, I’m pleased to inform you that we’ve accepted your application to SCBS, and would like to invite you to join us this fall for your sophomore year.”

Felicity’s heart skipped a beat. “Th-This fall?” She stammered out. “For real?”

On the other end of the line, Marcy laughed lightly. “Yes, Ms. Smoak. For real. Your transcripts were outstanding. I feel it’s safe to say we’ve never seen better scores here, and I know I speak for the entire staff when I say we’d be very pleased to have you here as a student. I apologize for such a last minute notice. As you know, first term starts in two weeks. Now, the courses are rigorous and…”

Felicity was listening with rapt attention as Marcy continued to speak, a huge grin spreading across her face. She glanced at the clock quickly. 4:30. Her mom would still be home. Donna Smoak only had about five hours between shifts, and tried to use that time to either sleep or buy groceries. Her mom was sound asleep at the moment, but this was important. Felicity turned and sprinted down the thinly carpeted hall to her mother’s room.

“We understand you have a financial situation which made it difficult for you to get in last year, is that correct?” Marcy’s question sent Felicity skidding to a halt, a few feet away from the door.

“Yes,” She replied in a measured voice. “That’s correct.” Of course, despite working her ass off and being at the top of her class, she wouldn’t get into a good school because of money, or her lack thereof.

“Well, I’ve got some good news for you. Two of our benefactors, Queen Consolidated and Merlyn Global have opened up a few scholarship positions, and you most definitely meet their parameters.”

Closing her eyes, Felicity leaned her head against the wall, pressing the phone to her ear harder. Even with a scholarship, it would be impossible for her mother to afford the tuition. She worked double shifts and then some in the casinos just to get by. “What kind of scholarships?” She forced out, bracing herself for the numbers that still wouldn’t be enough.

“Well, one which you qualify for is a full ride.”

Her eyes flew open.

“What?!”

***

After Felicity, her mother, and Marcy Williams figured out the specifics, Felicity hung up the phone and let out a yelp of excitement. She and her mother danced around the living room, hugging and jumping up and down. Donna kept tripping over her baggy sweats and Felicity’s hair was a tangled mess, but they were both so excited, they couldn’t bring themselves to care. Even when Donna had to leave for work an hour later, she was still grinning.

“My baby girl’s a genius,” She kept saying. “My baby girl’s going to run the world some day.”

Once Donna had left for work, Felicity flew to her tiny room, which had just enough room for her bed and a desk. Her dresser was shoved inside her closet, and most of her books were stacked up as a makeshift bedside table. She reached under her bed and pulled out her suitcase, dropping it on her mattress. It had originally belonged to her father, something he left behind when he ran off with a richer, younger woman and left her and her mother high and dry. She felt a pang as she opened it up and caught the faintest whiff of Old Spice and the ocean, how her dad had always smelled.

Steeling her emotions, Felicity turned to her closet, grunting with effort as she pushed the sliding mock-wood door open, the hinges squeaking in protest. Finally, after a lot of swearing and only a little kicking, she opened it up enough to be able to root through her dresser. She and her mother would be driving out to SCBS in just a couple of days, and she needed to be completely packed and ready to go. As she lifted a stack of second hand T-shirts out of the drawer, she noticed her hands were shaking. Her face hurt from smiling, but she couldn’t stop. She wanted to send some sort of blessing to whoever got Queen Consolidated and Merlyn Global to donate so much money to the school. Or maybe she could send a fruit basket. Whatever she sent, she wanted them to know how grateful she was. “Whoever you guys are,” She murmured, her hands resting on the suitcase. “Thank you.”

* * *

 

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this story. I promise, Oliver will be making an appearance in the next chapter, and you are going to _love_  high school Ollie. Felicity, on the other hand, may not love him so much…**

**Let me know if you want to be tagged for updates! (I’m also on the hunt for a beta, so if any of you are interested, drop me a message!)**

 

 


	2. Interior Design and a Punch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity gets to SCBS, and someone gets punched in the face.

The ten-hour drive to SCBS had been long enough. But the added burden of having her mother’s nonstop chatter on top of the pop station the radio was permanently stuck on was nearly unbearable for Felicity. She’d accidentally shoved all of her books into the trunk, and ended up entertaining herself by taking apart a computer mouse in her lap and reassembling it methodically, calming her nerves while Donna babbled on in the background, and Brittany Spears sang about milkshakes.

Finally, their ancient car rumbled around a corner, and perfectly manicured lawns unrolled in front of them. The greenest grass Felicity had ever seen stretched out for what seemed like a mile in every direction, broken up only by old, storybook-perfect brick buildings.

“Is that… actual ivy?” Felicity murmured, half to herself as they rattled past a few of the structures.

Donna also appeared to be in awe, her eyes flicking from the smoothly paved road to the lawns, the buildings, and back again. 

Clearing away the mouse parts, Felicity dug around in her bag for the directions. “It says we need to go past the Andrews building, and take a left on Maple Road. The parking lot and the admissions building should be straight ahead.”

Sure enough, they found the admissions building easily (yet another red-brick, ivy covered structure that looked both foreboding and welcoming at the same time). Parking their lemon next to a sleek, shining sports car seemed almost illegal, but neither Felicity nor Donna mentioned it. Two young guys were leaning on the wall of the building, dressed strangely well, considering the hot weather. Felicity's mom elbowed her , muttering something that sounded like "Look how cute", but Felicity ignored her and marched inside.

The receptionist regarded Felicity, her mother, and their second-hand thriftstore clothes with barely-concealed distain, turning up her nose as she pointed the pair towards the dean’s office. Shifting uncomfortably under the woman’s stare, Felicity followed her mother closely, pushing her two-toned glasses further up her nose, fiercely wishing that she could disappear right then and there.

The dean, a startlingly tall woman with a severe nose and a paradoxically friendly smile stood up to greet the pair as they entered, introducing herself as a Susan McKenna as she shook Donna’s hand, then Felicity’s, before inviting them to sit down.

“So,” the dean began, sending a surprisingly warm smile towards Felicity. “This must be the genius from Las Vegas I’ve heard to much about.

“I’m not a genius,” Felicity began, flushing tomato red, as Donna said at the same time, “Yes, she is!”

Ms. McKenna raised her eyebrows. “I see,” She turned her gaze to the papers spread out neatly before her on the mahogany desk. “It says here, Ms. Smoak- forgive me, Ms. _Felicity_ Smoak- that not only have you earned the highest marks in all of your classes at your old school, but you were taking advanced college courses? That’s quite a lot of work for a sophomore girl.” 

Felicity heard the familiar skepticism in the dean’s voice and bit back a sigh. “It wasn’t really, not to me anyway. And it’s not like there was much to do back home, so I had plenty of time to study. School just comes naturally to me, I suppose.”

Ms. McKenna nodded slowly. “I see. Well, I have a feeling our school is the perfect fit for you. We have a very challenging curriculum, and despite recent… rumors to contradict this, I can assure you that all of our students are as academically focused as you,” Despite her reassuring smile, something flickered behind McKenna’s eyes as she addressed the rumors. Felicity cast a brief glance at her mother. Neither of them had heard anything close to what the dean was talking about. “Ninety percent of our graduates in the past have been accepted to the most prestigious colleges in the country, and others have proceeded to further their education across the globe,” She continued, straightening the files on her desk. “I trust you already have a university in mind?”

“MIT,” Felicity replied instantly. “I’d love to go to MIT.”

The dean raised an eyebrow. “Not an Ivy? Our curriculum caters almost specifically to students intending to attend the Ivy’s.”

Felicity shook her head, her ponytail swishing back and forth. “MIT,” she stated firmly, holding the dean’s gaze.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was possibly less than ten seconds, Ms. McKenna sat back, a faintly impressed look on her face. “Very well, Ms. Smoak. I’ll let your guidance counselor and your advisor know, and you all can work out your schedule.” She grinned, extending a hand to Felicity. “Welcome to Starling.”

***

Outside, the sunlight was blindingly bright, and Felicity raised her hand to block out the glare, squinting at the fields before her. While she and her mother had been talking with the dean, students had begun to filter outdoors, and now the air was filled with conversations and exclamations. She saw people throwing Frisbees and others hauling their bags into buildings on the far side of the green. _Here I am_ , she thought, breathing in the fresh air.

Fifteen minutes later, Felicity hauled her last bag into her dorm room, and dropped it with a loud huff. As a sophomore on the honors course, she got her own room, which was unsurprisingly tiny, but still much larger than her shoebox room back home. Felicity dropped the duffel bag and placed her hands on her hips, surveying the tiny space. She turned to her mother, grinning. Her mother, on the other hand, was practically in tears tears. 

“I wish I could stay to help you unpack.” Donna said, frowning slightly, trying to blink the water out of her eyes.

Felicity gave her mom a sad smile. “I know. But you have to start heading back home now, or else you might not be able to work tomorrow. It’s okay.” She reassured her, hugging her tightly.

Donna kissed the top of Felicity’s head. “I love you, Felicity.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

They hugged for another minute before pulling away. “Now,” Donna shouldered the strap of her purse. “Don’t forget to buy hair dye- and even if you want to go back to your natural color, you’ll have to buy some of that so you don’t look all half-and-half. It’s not in right now. And if you left anything at home, call me and I’ll send it right over.”

Felicity laughed, despite the twisting feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Bye, Mom. I’ll see you in November.”

“Don’t forget to call!”

Felicity laughed as her mom left, closing the door behind her, once again taking in the small space. A twin bed in one corner, a desk near the foot of it, pressed against the plain white wall, which was marred all over with tiny pushpin holes, left by the previous inhabitants. On the opposite wall was a small wooden dresser and a closet. Without color, the room seemed almost creepy, like it belonged in a mental institution. 

“Okay,” Felicity said to herself. “Time to move in.”

Unpacking was easy. First, she tacked up her Sherlock and Doctor Who posters on the bare walls, along with some photos from home she’d brought along. Next, the C-3P0 string of lights she and her mom had splurged on a few Hanukkahs ago went up, giving the room a friendly, yellow glow. She placed her TARDIS mug on her desk, next to the towering stack of textbooks, notebooks and folders she’d been required to bring. On the shelf above her desk, Felicity neatly lined up her small DVD and CD collection, before turning to unpack her clothes. In less than half an hour, she was done. Satisfied, Felicity, dropped onto her mattress, running her hand over the old quilt, a familiar piece of home in a strange, new setting.

Finally, she was here. The school of her dreams. The school that would get her into the college that would jump-start her career. She wouldn’t be a cocktail waitress in Vegas, struggling to make ends meet. She’d get herself and her mother out of there, for once and for all.

But first, she needed to get through Calculus.

***

Felicity was an expert in navigating the cafeteria at lunchtime- or, more specifically, how to get in and out as quickly as possibly. Also, she knew to be nice to the lunch ladies. So, once she got over the shock of the restaurant-like setting of the school cafeteria, she went ahead and did what she was best at; she ducked her head, and made herself as unnoticable as possible.

Felicity almost instantly found an empty stone bench in the comparatively quiet courtyard(?!) outside. She was halfway trough her sandwich and next week’s homework when her focus was disrupted by loud chatter and laughter.

Glancing up, she spotted a pack of what looked like all senior boys heading for the cafeteria, led by the two guys she’d seen earlier by the Admissions Building. They were all full of energy, slapping each other on the back and getting into headlocks. She rolled her eyes and returned her focus to Thoreau.

Surprisingly, the quieted as they reached the courtyard, though the snickers and general conversation were still apparent.

Eventually, the chatter ceased and Felicity assumed they’d gone inside to do more bro-ing out to some bro-tastic sandwiches (they were fairly tasty). That is, until she heard footsteps, getting louder with every step, and she looked up to see one of they boys from earlier had broken away from his group, and was heading straight towards her. He had beige hair and murky brown eyes, looking far too smug for her liking. She saw the group of guys standing a few yards away, still laughing, but now their attention seemed to be directed at her.

She looked back up at the beige guy, who had almost reached her.

“Hi,” He said, flashing a bright white smile at her, practically seething arrogance and privilege out of every pore. “I’m Carter Bowen.” He offered her his hand.

Hesitantly, Felicity shook it, though an uneasy feeling was growing in her stomach. “Felicity Smoak.” She replied, looking at him, confusion evident on her face. What the hell was this lanky, spotty dude doing within fifty feet of her?

“I just noticed you siting here all alone, and I have to wonder: what is a hottie like yourself doing, sitting here, with just a boring old textbook for company?”

Instantly, Felicity felt an overwhelming amount of dislike towards this guy. Hottie? Really? “So, you decided to be the chivalrous man you are, swoop in and, what, save me from my homework?” She scoffed, crossing her arms.

Carter looked briefly taken aback, as though he hadn’t expected this answer, but recovered smoothly. “Homework’s lame- school doesn’t start for another two days. Besides, if I save you from,” he paused, ducking his head to read the spine of her book. “Through Row, you might say yes to me when I ask you out.” While the words he was saying were fine, the way he delivered them made Felicity extremely uncomfortable. And that made her mad.

Now, she really didn’t like this guy. “Look, buddy,” She said, gathering her books and the rest of her sandwich. “I don’t know who you are, but I really am not in the mood to be asked out by you just to impress your friends and embarrass myself.”

Carter shoved his hands in his pockets and whistled. “Ooh, scholarship student’s feisty.”

Felicity felt her stomach drop. “What?”

A grin spread across the dude’s face, showing off a freakishly white, almost wolfish smile. “We know all about who _you_ are, Felicity…” He paused, pretending to try to remember her name. “Smokeie. Is that right? Well, I hope you didn’t track mud in from whatever trailer park you rolled out of.”

Two seconds later, Carter was doubled over in pain, and Felicity was clutching her books to her chest and running for dear life and trying to ingore the throbbing pain in her hand, only stopping once to glance over her shoulder. The group of guys had run over to Carter, but a few of them were glancing her way, watching her run off, impressed looks on their faces. Then, she turned and bolted.

 

* * *

**So, I may have lied when I said Oliver would be _in_ this chapter. Full confession: Carter was supposed to be Oliver, but I didn't want to make him a complete jerk. He did make an appearance though- let me know if you caught him!**

**Once again, let me know if you want to be tagged for updates, and I'm also open to a beta!**


	3. Magic, Royalty and Pasta

**A/N: Oops. In my defense, I've rewritten this chapter three times. I wanted you guys to get to meet Oliver, but I was having so much fun with Tommy and Felicity that it was difficult. But we finally meet Ollie in this chapter. And someone else is missing...**

**Sorry for the wait, y'all, and I promise that I'll try to get back on the "regular updates" train.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

She spent the rest of the afternoon in her room, waiting to get the call, or the knock on her door, telling her she was expelled for punching a kid before school even started. Trying to take her mind off of it, she focused on her books. When that didn’t work, she popped a DVD in her craptop (An ancient laptop that only worked half the time, and liked to shut down at random), andtried to drown herself in her favorite movie. By six, she’d gone through two energy bars and a spoonful of peanut butter when she heard it. The knock on her door.

Dread coiling in her stomach, she slowly swung herself off the bed and crept toward the door, opening it a crack. “Hello?”

A grinning boy with jet-black hair and mischievous blue eyes stood outside her door, hands shoved into his pockets. “Hello!” He greeted her cheerily, tilting his head, attempting to see her through the barely-open door. He looked somewhat familiar, and she sifted through her memories, trying to place him.

“Sorry, but who are you?” Felicity asked, keeping her voice level, trying to hide the anxiety she was feeling.

The boy just kept grinning. “Tommy Merlyn, at your service.” He said, taking a dramatic bow. “Are you Felicity Smoak? Because that’s what it says here on your door, and if they’ve mislabelled it, you can complain and get not only the correct nameplate, but also a fruit basket. I think our administration has a monopoly on those things.”

At this, Felicity realized he likely wasn’t here to kick her out of school, and opened the door wider, leaning on the frame to watch him. 

Tommy face lit up as their eyes locked. “And she emerges,” He teased. Felicity rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same. Then, she froze, a realization blinking to life in her mind, and her stomach dropped.

“Wait…” She said, this time unable to keep the quaver out of her voice. “Tommy Merlyn… As in Merlyn Global.”

The boy in front of her bobbed his head in approval. “The very same.” He was still grinning. Felicity was beginning to suspect he was a pod person. Who the hell was this happy to meet a stranger?

“As in Merlyn Global, one of the companies that donated to my scholarship for this school?”

Realization dawned on Tommy’s face. “So that’s what Carter meant when he said…” He trailed off, a look of anger briefly crossing his face, but Felicity could easily sense it wasn’t directed at her. A split second later, the grin was back on his face, and he was casually walking into her room, taking in the small space.

"Sure, come on in," She muttered, turning on her heel to follow him.

“Nice decorations,” He commented, nodding towards her posters and TARDIS lights. “My room doesn’t look nearly as nice. The central feature is the heaping pile of laundry I’m trying to avoid at all costs. Ollie keeps threatening to light it on fire, but really, I would be perfectly fine with that."

“Ollie…?” Felicity asked, feeling like she was barely keeping up with this mile-a-minute mystery boy.

“Oliver Queen,” Tommy said distractedly. “My best friend. I’ve known him since… well, probably since before we were born. Fetus bros." He declared, holding up his fist as though he were going to fist bump her, then dropped it.

“Queen-“

“Yes, Queen as the other donor to your scholarship.” Tommy said patiently, dropping down on her bed. “Nice quilt.” He added, running his fingers over the worn images.

Felicity was shaking her head as she lowered herself into her desk chair. “Why?” She implored, leaning forward on her elbows.

Tommy shrugged, holding his palms up in the universal “no idea” gesture. “I don't know. It was probably a publicity thing. They’re always trying to make themselves look better- the family companies, that is.” He explained. “Not that you’re a charity case,” He hastened to add. 

She was already shaking her head. “It’s okay, really. I appreciate what your families did- I just wanted to know why. I’ll never be able to repay you.”

Sunlight was streaming through her narrow dorm window, casting long, golden stripes across her floor and bed. Tommy quirked an eyebrow at Felicity. “As if we need the payment. I wouldn’t think of it much. Just enjoy the exceptional experience that is the Starling City Boarding School.” He said grandly, leaning back against the wall, lacing his hands behind his head.

Felicity was quiet for a minute, staring at the multi-millionaire in her room. He looked back at her with a pleasant expression. Finally, she couldn't bear the silence anymore. “Why are you here?”

“Well, my father wanted me to get the best of the best educations, despite the fact that I don't test well, and-“

“No, why are you in my room?”

“Oh!” He lit up, as though he had been waiting for her to ask that very question, leaning forward once more. “I wanted to compliment you on what a fantastic punch that was. We’ve all been wanting to really give it to that bastard, but no one’s actually had the balls to do that. I’m impressed, Smoak.”

“I didn’t even know who he was,” insisted Felicity, her ponytail swishing back and forth. “I’ve just learned that the best way to keep someone from bothering you is to either ignore them or punch them. The former wasn’t going to work very well, so…” She shrugged. “It wasn’t a big deal. I just wanted to keep my head down and go about my business.”

Tommy offered her a slight smirk. “That didn’t last long, did it?” He quipped.

Heat rose on the back of her neck as she denied, “I mean it, I really didn’t- I mean, I don’t want any attention. It’s already embarrassing enough that I’m taking the senior’s classes. I don’t need to add “punch-happy crazy lady” to my already strange repertoire.”

“You’re taking senior’s classes?” Instead of the teasing tone she’d expected, Tommy’s voice was genuinely intrigued. “Aren’t you only a sophomore?”

She nodded, her eyes darting down to her panda flats. “Yeah.” she murmured, turning in her seat to rummage through her desk. “So, I think I’m just gonna get back on track with the whole keeping-my-head-down thing and dine on my finest jar of peanut butter.” She said, holding up the jar as though to prove her point.

In two seconds flat, Tommy was up, across the room, and plucking the jar from her hands, and Felicity felt surprised as she was suddenly grasping at air. “Oh no, you’re not.” He said, placing the peanut butter on the desk and holding his hands out to her. Felicity’s eyes followed her food before flitting up to look at him. He wiggled his fingers. “I don’t bite.” Tommy encouraged. Hesitantly, Felicity placed her hands in his. Satisfied, Tommy pulled her to her feet and, to her dread, started pulling her towards the door. “Come have a real dinner. With me. In the dining hall.”

Before his words were even fully out, Felicity wanted to say no. Her stomach flipped like an olympic gymnast at the thought of showing up at the dining hall with Thomas Merlyn of all people. Of staring down Carter Bowen over her plate of spaghetti prepared by someone who had probably once worked in the White House. Of all the unfamiliar faces staring at her. Judging her.

As though he were reading her mind, Tommy hastened to add, “And don’t worry about Carter, or getting into trouble. I’ve got Ollie running recon. He wouldn’t dare let Carter slander your good name.”

Tommy opened the door for her, gesturing toward the hall with that smile of his, that smile that made him look like he had a get-out-of-jail-free card perpetually stored in his pocket. “You coming?”

Felicity crossed her arms, still guarded. “Why wouldn’t Oliver let Carter say anything? He doesn’t even know me.”

Tommy winked at her as he steered her out of the room. “Because Oliver’s been dying to punch Carter since he could walk.”

And just when she’d begin to think she’d never smile again…

***

One thing was extremely apparent about Tommy Merlyn, something that was obvious from nearly the moment Felicity had met him. He loved to talk. On the short walk down to the dining hall, he’d already gone through the list of teachers to avoid, where the cafeteria hid the desserts at night, and the names of the goldfish he’d smuggled into his room.

“Although, this is nothing compared to the kitten Ollie snuck in yesterday.” Tommy noted as they reached the thick glass doors.

Felicity stopped short, one hand still on the handle, and stared at her companion incredulously. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m really not,” Tommy swore, heading inside. “It’s a very hush-hush situation, though,” He shouted over the din of chattering students. Felicity felt herself smiling at the juxtaposition.

Despite her previous experience with it, Felicity was still impressed by the huge, diverse spread before her. Suffice to say, it was nothing like the unevenly heated, suspiciously fuzzy mystery meals served at her school back in Vegas- a condition which taught her to pack her own lunch in a simple effort of self-preservation.

However, SCBS’s meals were a far cry from the slop she used to see. Steaming piles of vegetables were being served on one side of the cafeteria. Across from them were mountains of of spaghetti and grilled chicken. To finish, a sandwich and salad bar stood, stocked with all sorts of colors of vegetables and meats and cheeses. Tommy picked up a plate, looking unfazed by the remarkable feast, but Felicity moved more slowly, taking in the sights and smells swirling around her. 

Once their plates had been loaded up, Tommy guided his new friend back into the eating area, into one of the quieter corners, to a table where only one boy was sitting. He raised his eyes to them, and Felicity nearly tripped, faltering at the intensity of his bright blue eyes. Despite his relatively young age, his face was already showing signs of stubble (and not one of those patchy, faux-mustaches the freshmen were so proud of back in Vegas). His features were defined without being sharp, and he looked like he was constantly trying to decide between punching someone or laughing. Tommy plopped down in the chair next to him and picked up his fork, diving straight into the heaping amount of pasta before him. Felicity sat down more slowly, keeping her own eyes on her plate, but very aware of the other boy’s eyes on her. She felt a blush creeping up her neck, and reached back to adjust her ponytail self-consciously. The silence was awkward and almost chilly, despite the warm air of the dining hall.

“Oh!” Tommy jolted around his mouthful of pasta, realizing no one was speaking. “Ollie, this is our new friend, Felicity. She’s the one who gave Carter Bowen what he deserved. Felicity, this is Ollie, my partner in crime.” 

Tommy’s introductions seemed to blow away the awkward silence like it was nothing but smoke. Oliver offered Felicity a small smile. “Nice to meet you, Felicity.” He said, politely. His voice seemed to hold some sort of casual indifference, as if he were simply saying “Any friend of Tommy’s is an okay human.”

“So,” Tommy rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Carter Bowen. Did he go crying home to his mother?” He turned to Felicity. “Carter’s one of those pricks who calls his parents “Mother” and “Father.”. Like that makes him somehow more mature than the rest of us.” He scoffed and turned back to Oliver. “So?”

A line appeared between Oliver’s eyebrows, the smile dropping away. “I lost him, haven't seen him in a couple of hours. After he ran back to our dorm, I tried knocking on his door, but nothing. It was locked, but I couldn’t hear anything going on. I was right behind him, too. I saw him come inside.”

Tommy shrugged, unfazed. “Maybe he went to the nurse’s station. I mean, Felicity looks like she can pack a wallop.”

“It was nothing,” She murmured. “I mean, he’s not really that toned, so punching him in the gut didn’t require that much arm strength.” In actuality, Felicity’s mom had taught her some krav maga in their dusty backyard for three years, in case she ever needed to protect herself. “Even if you never get attacked,” Donna had said, leaning forward into a defensive stance. “You can say you know krav maga. People find that kind of stuff cool. And intimidating.”

But Felicity didn’t want to be intimidating, so instead, she shrugged off Tommy’s words and focused on her pasta.

“He wasn’t there, either.” Oliver said, turning back to Tommy. He sounded genuinely frustrated. “And he’s not at dinner. He just vanished.”

Instantly, Felicity felt a familiar fear pool in her gut. What if Carter _had_ told the administration about their spat? But why hadn’t she been kicked out yet? Or at the very least, reprimanded?

Tommy didn’t seem to sense her distress, but when Felicity looked up at him, she saw the same concern reflected in his eyes, and felt a strange, sudden kinship towards him.

Despite the initially awkward start, dinner was actually quite pleasant. Tommy kept the conversation lively with stories of his and Oliver’s misadventures, with Oliver stepping in to amend the story every now and again, and Felicity found herself opening up about her life in Vegas. The boys were fascinated by how different her life was.

“You were doing your own laundry when you were six?” Tommy asked, and the same time Oliver said “What do you mean, you didn’t have a dryer?”

Felicity opened her mouth to respond, when she saw a girl glaring at her from the corner of her eye. She turned her head slightly, and was surprised to find not one, but about six girls glaring at her from a table across the room. They were all wearing high-end leather jackets and boots that went up to their knees. Her heart stopped. What were they glaring at? Felicity glanced down at herself self-consciously, but unless to was illegal to be unfashionable, she had no inkling as to why she was being stared down by six human Barbies.

Tommy sensed her sudden agitation, and followed her gaze to the table. “Oh, yes. The Plastics.”

Felicity turned back to him, raising her eyebrows. “You mean from Mean Girls?”

He nodded, jerking his head towards Oliver. “Thea made us both watch it. She may be little, but Ollie’s sister can be quite persuasive when she wants to be.”

“She kept pinching Tommy until he gave in. Which didn't take long at all.” Oliver corrected, smirking.

“Anyway,” Tommy said loudly, as if he could erase his friend’s words, before lowering his voice again. “The Plastics are essentially the Mean Girls of the school. Usually, at every meal, one or more of them tries to sit with us, and while they can be perfectly pleasant people, discussions about the differences between Lois Vouitton and Micheal Kohrs become extremely dull. So, we’ve been politely turning them down for about a year now. Sometimes we eat with the rest of our friends,” He nodded towards one of the rowdier tables in the middle of the room. “And sometimes we eat over here. It depends on the day. Today, we’re sitting with you. Personally, I like you better. I can eat my pasta in peace, knowing full well that your shoe will not end up in my marinara sauce. It helps keep my zen.”

Felicity and Tommy exchanged smiles. Oliver rolled his eyes. “Okay, zen dude. Can you pass some of your zen on to Laurel? She flipped out on me again today. Something about flirting with a barista.”

“Laurel’s Oliver’s girlfriend. Sometimes.” Tommy clarified to a baffled Felicity. “And were you flirting with the barista?”

Oliver cut his eyes away. “Not intentionally.”

“Dude. Just stop it with Laurel. You’re a bad mix. Also, when she misses throwing things at you, they end up hitting me. I still have a bruise from that rubber chicken.”

Felicity watched as the two boys exchanged glares. “I’m… gonna go now.” She said slowly, picking up her mostly-empty plate.

“No, don’t go!” Tommy said as Oliver turned to look at her. Was that disappointment flashing across his face?

“I’m sorry, it’s just been a long day. New school, first fist fight, learning who’s who. I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I’ll see you tom-… around.” She cut herself off before she could say tomorrow. They were seniors. They wouldn’t actually want to hang out with her. She was just the interest of the day.

“At least stay for dessert.” At the sound of Oliver’s voice, Felicity turned around. “What?”

“Stay. For dessert.” Oliver repeated. His expression was open, his tone genuine. “They have these brownies that are to die for. Are you sure you don’t want to try just one?”

Felicity bit her lip, considering. She _loved_ brownies. “One brownie.” She cautioned, moving back to her seat. The Plastics scowled. Tommy grinned. And Oliver never took his eyes off of her.

* * *

**I just realized how much like a Brit Tommy sounds. He sounds British in my head. Whoops.**

**Sorry again for the long wait, and I'll try to update soon! Pinky swear.**

 


	4. Tours and Caverns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, learning how to do notes! How exciting. So, this is a slightly shorter chapter, but I wanted to get it out so that I kept with my somewhat irregular posting-once-a-month, sorry-it's-not-sooner schedule. Turns out, you actually have to type to make a story happen. I've been writing it out in class by hand. Whoops!  
> Anyway, this chapter discusses a kitten, a bit of Felicity's insecurities, and more about Carter! Enjoy!

Classes didn’t start until Wednesday, so for her first couple of days at SCBS, Felicity found herself falling into a tentative friendship with these two very new, very strange boys. She set out to develop a schedule for herself, something she could familiarize herself with, even when everything else in this place was strange and somewhat unapproachable. And the boys simply phased into her days.

In the mornings, Felicity would brave the dining hall alone. She ended up eating breakfast in the amicable semi-silence of a dark-haired girl named Iris, who constantly had her nose in a book, even when she was eating. Felicity appreciated the girl’s taste for sci-fi, as well as her preference of waffles over pancakes. (Though Felicity herself would usually end up going for the Lucky Charms).

After she went back to her room, however, Tommy would appear, encouraging her to “come out and play”. The first time he said that, she noted that he sounded like a kidnapper trying to lure her into his cave of death. He smiled at her and gestured to the hallway. So she went. 

Since she had no idea where anything was, Tommy took up the mantle of tour guide, promising to show her all the fantastic attractions SCBS had to offer. Felicity had her share of doubts about how “fantastic” these attractions were, but she gamely went along with him anyway. The first day, Monday, she met the kitten hidden in Oliver’s room, a little black cat named Robbie. He was curled up on a patch of sun on Oliver’s desk when she first walked in, so at first she thought it was a small ink spot on his desk, until it stirred and lifted its tiny head, scaring her half to death.

“Why Robbie, of all names?” Felicity asked a few minutes later, watching as Oliver dangled a string above the kitten’s head. She was leaning against the desk, while Oliver and Tommy sat on the bed.

“Short for Robin Hood.” Oliver explained as he swirled the red string in circles above Robbie’s head. Robbie, however, had no interest in the string and chose to leap straight up onto Oliver’s shoulder, turning his little body round until he was settled on his owner’s shoulder like a parrot. That made Felicity laugh. Oliver grinned at her. Felicity looked away quickly. She was afraid that if she didn’t, she’d melt into a puddle from the brightness of his smile. His hundred-watt, trademark “Oliver Queen” smile. 

Tommy loved his self-appointed job as her personal tour guide, pointing out each building, and offering up fairly humorous anecdotes for almost every one of them.

“See, we didn’t _mean_ to light the printer on fire,” Tommy started, but Oliver swiftly cut in with an amused “We?”

“Fine, I did it,” admitted Tommy huffily, as Felicity let out a surprised burst of laughter. “But you were there!” He added, jabbing Oliver in the ribs. Oliver just shrugged, smiling. Felicity caught herself beginning to stare, and looked away quickly. _Keep it together, Smoak_ , she told herself. _Keep it platonic._ The last thing she needed was to _like_ one of her only friends here, and have him push her away. She was already enough of an outsider as it was.

***

The days were long and languid, and Felicity could almost feel herself begin to relax. Almost.

Carter still hadn’t been seen since that first day, and his mysterious absence was starting to get under her skin. It was bothering Oliver, too.

“No one even seems concerned.” He griped at dinner the next night, stabbing at his fish violently with a fork. Felicity winced.

Even Tommy, who was usually their effervescent source of optimism, seemed troubled. “Our friends were acting like they hardly remembered him, like he didn’t plan the Great Toilet Paper Heist of 2014.”

Felicity didn’t laugh at his half-hearted attempt at humor, instead choosing to push her food around on her plate listlessly, her appetite gone. The fear of getting expelled was no longer a concern, but the abrupt disappearance of a person with absolutely no reaction from anyone? That was what made her feel more than a little queasy.

The trio finished their meal in silence, every clink of spoons as sharp as gunshots, and the scrape of forks against china was more reminiscent of nails being dragged down a chalkboard.

Halfway through dessert, Felicity set down her spoon, biting her lip before blurting out, “Why aren’t you two sitting with your friends?” Her voice was startlingly loud, shattering the thick silence they’d been buried under.

Tommy blinked. Oliver furrowed his brows. “What?”

“I mean,” Felicity started, speaking quickly. “You’ve eaten almost every meal with me, despite the fact that we barely know each other. Not to mention that you’ve taken up the duty of being my personal tour guides, which I sincerely appreciate, but I know for a fact that you have other friends that you’d much rather be hanging out with than me,” She felt a lump in her throat, but forced it down as she voiced the thoughts that had been haunting her for the past few days. “I’m not some charity case.”

Silence. But this time, it was uncomfortable. Oliver leaned forward, and she could see the slight hurt on his face when he asked, “Is that what you think we see you as?”

Felicity didn’t say anything. Shaking his head at her, Oliver gave her an incredulous expression in the softly lit dining hall. “Felicity, you are remarkable. I’ve never met anyone who knows as much about computers, card counting, or Big Belly Burger as you.” Felicity rolled her eyes, and Tommy cut in with, “’Lis, it’s true. We’re all big kids here, no one’s forcing us to play together, or be super nice. I, and I think Oliver agrees with me on this one, like hanging out with you. We like being around you.”

Oliver nodded. “You’re different from every one else here, and it’s not because you’re a scholarship student, or because you come from a different background. It’s because you actually care about people. Everyone else over here?” He made a sweeping gesture towards the rest of the room, where the other students were texting, eating, taking selfies, or horsing around. “They couldn’t care less about each other unless it meant there was something in it for them. But you? You’re different. You connect with people. You connected with us.” He offered her a faint smile. “Don’t ask us to say we don’t care about you.”

Now tears were springing to her eyes, and she reached under her glasses to wipe them away. “Guys,” She forced her voice to keep from cracking. “You’re awesome.”

The boys exchanged relieved smiles and Tommy quipped back, “I know.” 

When they got back to her room, Felicity lingered in the doorway, not wanting that day to end. Not wanting to start her classes. Somehow, she knew, things were going to change.

Tommy was rattling off the names of sophomores to avoid, and Oliver was giving her his “I can’t believe he’s still talking” face, and Felicity knew she could stay like this all night, right there in the hallway with her friends. But too soon, they were walking away, waving goodbye, and Felicity was slipping into her room with the knowledge that tomorrow, everything was going to change.

***

The room wasn’t really a room. It was a dark cavern, divided into cells by heavy metal bars. His head was pounding. His gut ached, too, but that was because he hadn’t seen the punch coming. He couldn’t remember why his head hurt. Or where he was. 

Carter looked around the cavern in a panic. It was dark, the only light emitting from around a corner, a bluefish, wavering light that glinted off the puddles in the gaping space. He started to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here are some long notes. Full disclosure: I never intended for this to be anything but fluff. But once Felicity punched Carter, I just knew this would be a good conflict. Also, I don't have as much of an outline as a "I go where the characters take me", so suggestions are always welcome!  
> Okay, that's it for now. See you in a month! (Kidding) (Maybe)  
> Bye now!


End file.
